Charleston Open, today's results, scores, winners and recap: Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa advance, former champ Madison Keys sails through
Top seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa kept their respective title bids on track, as did Madison Keys, who advanced to the third round in Charleston on Wednesday.
No. 1 seed Sabalenka snapped a three-match losing streak as she saw off Alison Riske 7-6(3), 6-4 to move on to the third round. Sabalenka needed six set points to win a 64-minute opening set and then held a comfortable 5-2 lead in the second. The Belarusian staved off a late charge from Riske to complete a straight-sets win.
Former semifinalist and second seed Badosa made it to the round of 16 with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Anna Bondar after a rain delay. Badosa, Sabalenka's doubles partner in Miami, was unaffected by a mid-match lightning interruption against Bondar as she booked a round-of-16 clash with American Claire Liu.
World No. 89 Liu holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Badosa after wins in Caserta in 2017 and Bucharest in 2018, both on clay. Liu upset No. 16 seed Zhang Shuai 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Madison Keys, seeded ninth and champion of the 2019 edition, won her second-round match against qualifier Ulrikke Eikeri in straight sets.
The Belarusian, who has been dealing with double fault woes in recent months, served eight of them in the match but made up for it by blasting seven aces.
“I felt I’m super happy that I was able to go through that match. Alison [Riske] is a really tough opponent – it’s never easy to play her. I’m proud that no matter what, I stayed focused from the beginning until the end. That’s why I was able to win this one today," said Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka next faces No. 15 seed Amanda Anisimova, who holds a 2-0 head-to-head edge over the Belarusian. They last met on the red clay at Roland Garros in 2019, with Anisimova winning 6-4, 6-2.
Earlier, Czech Karolina Pliskova notched her first win of the season, dispatching Katarina Zavatska 5-7, 7-5, 6-4, in a match that spanned two days due to weather delays.
Home hopes Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova notch up wins in Charleston Open
Madison Keys got past Norway's Ulrikke Eikeri 6-3, 6-1 to lead the way for the Americans on home soil. Their second-round match was supposed to be held on Tuesday but was moved to Wednesday due to inclement weather. Rain marred their clash on Wednesday as well, but Keys stayed focused to win in straight sets.
Madison Keys will next face Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic. The Swiss ended the dream of teenager Linda Fruhvirtova, 6-1, 7-6(6).
Later in the day, Jessica Pegula sent Italy's Jasmine Paolini packing with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Anisimova drubbed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-2, while Coco Vandeweghe defeated fellow American Lauren Davis, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, to set up a round-of-16 clash with Pegula.
Tunisian Ons Jabeur led 6-3, 5-2 against Emma Navarro before inclement weather forced the suspension of their match on Tuesday. Jabeur returned on Wednesday to complete the job.
Canadian Leylah Fernandez's match against Magda Linette was moved to Thursday due to rain.